LUMBERMEN AND FORESTRY 271 



In some cases, the finer twigs and brush might be burned to good ad- 

 vantage. There is great opportunity and need for new methods along this 

 line, and a greater degree of utilization of the debris of slashings. One 

 measure which would aid greatly in keeping fires in slashings from spreading 

 into green timber is to fell all trres along the line between the land to be 

 cut and the other land, so that they will fall in the land cut, and their 

 tops will not be in the green timber of the land to be left. This would 

 put a fire line around the slash at practically no additional expense to the 

 operator. 



CHESTNUT BLIGHT SITUATION 



Of late, we have heard much of the chestnut blight. The condition is 

 serious. The blight, or chestnut bark disease was first noticed near New 

 York City in 1904. At the present time it is in Massachusetts, Connecticut, 

 Rhode Island, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, 

 Virginia, and West Virginia. The total loss from the disease is now estimated 

 at $25,000,000. 



The disease is caused by a fungus, and works in the inner bark. It 

 gradually rings the tree and causes its death. This disease is like a germ 

 disease, and it is caused by spors which get at any injury to the bark of a 

 tree and soon infect it. Borers' tunnels are the most common entrance places 

 for spores. 



To combat this disease is a problem for the Government and not for 

 the lumbermen. Lumbermen, of course, should cooperate. The bark of in- 

 fected trees must be destroyed. Infected sections must be isolatd, and the 

 bark of trees destroyed, or all our chestnut trees will go. Up to the present 

 time no way of curing an infected tree has been found. Obviously this must 

 be taken up by the various states concerned, and the Federal Government. 

 The United States Department of Agriculture has already put some study 

 on the subject. Pennsylvania has established a "Commission for the investiga- 

 tion and control of chestnut tree blight disease." Twenty-five thousand dol- 

 lars was made available at once, and |250,000 more has been appropriated 

 for this work. If the disease cannot be isolated in sections and gradually 

 stamped out, it may be necessary to use up all our chestnut as soon as pos- 

 sible, unless some remedy is found, and then set out trees and start our 

 chestnut forests all over again. We hope the situation will not become so 

 serious as this ; but the outlook is not encouraging. The State of New York, 

 in its proposed legislation, authorizes the appointment of a Forest Pathologist. 



However, the proposed law gives the Pathologist so much power that he 

 could make trouble and expense for the timber holders by requiring them to 

 cut and remove or destroy infected or diseased trees, no matter how remote 

 they may be located. Pennsylvania already has a State Pathologist and good 

 results are being secured. The chestnut blight is the most serious problem 

 confronting the department at the present time. Tree diseases are serious 

 especially when they assume the dimensions of the one just considered. 



